Mountain Democrat, Monday, April 24, 2023

Page 1

Cameron Park likely shuttering a fire station

Noel Stack Managing editor

With reluctance, the Cameron Park Community Services District Board of Directors supported a fire service plan that will brown out Station 88 on Alhambra Drive. The plan presented by CPCSD General Manager André Pichly, following several discussions with Cal Fire and a CSD Ad Hoc Committee, includes a five-year service extension agreement with Cal Fire that will run July 1, 2023, to

June 30, 2028, during which time Cal Fire will continue to operate out of Station 89 on Country Club Drive using a nine-person staffing model (one three-person engine company with a staffing factor of three — three bodies per seat working three-day/72 hour shifts) and keep ambulance service in the district.

“Although less than ideal, this staffing model allows the district to maintain reliable fire and emergency services at a base level with our current partners and provides time to explore

the future of our service in the bigger picture of other agencies and county responses to these needs,” Pichly notes in his staff report.

Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit Chief Mike Blankenheim acknowledged, “Taking an engine out of the system is not safe for the system.” However, he said, agreeing with this plan will ensure one fully-staffed fire station and put less stress on Cameron Park’s firefighting personnel as vacancies,

Parlin served recall notice nasa s olar system ambassador teaches ‘hands-on’ astronomy

A surprise for District

4 Supervisor Lori Parlin came at the kickoff of the public comment segment of Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, courtesy of some in her jurisdiction — a recall notice of intent.

“Lori, this is not personal,” said Cool resident Lon Uso, as he served the papers to Parlin at the dais.

Uso and other recall supporters gathered nearly 80 signatures for the notice of intent; they claim Parlin does not represent the community.

“I do not believe she has the moral compass or ethics to sit on that dais,” Uso told the Mountain Democrat.

“These are my reasons but I have heard from people they do not feel that she is representing our little community up here, that she is more

interested in other, more populous parts of the county and not all that interested in us.”

When contacted for comment Parlin said she plans to respond to the proponents of the recall notice within the seven day required timeframe. She did not comment further.

Uso did not give details on how the group will campaign for a recall if it goes through all proper channels to enact a recall election nor gave comment on prospects on potential

Aspark was ignited in little Michal Warzecha’s soul when his parents tuned in to a TV broadcast of the Apollo Soyuz test project. As the first crewed joint mission between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1975, it represented the inception of Russian/ American cooperation and the 6-year-old was enthralled.

“I was totally caught up in it,” reminisced Warzecha. “Wow they’re flying in space! This is what astronauts do.” His interest in astronomy was further stoked upon being given a telescope a few years later. “It was a 50 mm from Kmart, but it worked.”

A Polish immigrant, Warzecha grew up in Michigan playing with Legos, subsequently discovering an affinity for science and math. With

PLACE
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Discontinuing emergency services out
88 on Alhambra Drive would allow for a fully staffed Station 89.
ADDRESS
Mountain
Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
of
Cameron Park Fire Department Station
n See station 88 page
Courtesy photo NASA Solar System Ambassador Michal Warzecha of El Dorado Hills is ready to share his passion for space with the community.
A7
Lori PArLiN n See Parlin, page A3 n See Warzecha, page A6

OBITUARIES

Obituaries on this page are written and paid for by the families or funeral homes. They are edited minimally by the Mountain Democrat. To submit an obituary, call (530) 622-1255, e-mail obits@mtdemocrat.net, fax (530) 344-5092, or visit mtdemocrat.com under “Submission Forms” at the bottom of the website. Include contact information with all submissions.

Elwin ‘Al’ Veerkamp

Elwin ‘Al’ Veerkamp passed away peacefully at home at the age of almost 90. Al was a descendent of an early pioneer family who settled in El Dorado County in the 1850s. He grew up in Placerville at a time when walking down Main Street you knew most everyone. He attended local schools and graduated from the University of California at Davis in 1955. It was there that he met his future wife, Barbara.

He returned to Placerville after college, to raise his family, and start his beloved Gold Hill Nursery, which he operated for almost 50 years. During that time he propagated, and sold thousands upon thousands of landscape shrubs, trees, and commercial fruit trees. These thousands of trees can still be found all around El Dorado County.

Al also gave back to the community he loved with over 34 years on local school boards. He served on two grand juries and was a member of the El Dorado County Agricultural Commission for 30 years. He was also active in the California Association of Nurserymen.

He developed a love of nature and the outdoors as a child. Al spent every spare minute backpacking, hunting and fishing throughout the Sierra. He enjoyed oil painting, wine making, playing music and guitar, family get togethers and maintaining friendships. Al won many awards with his wine making. He always had a large vegetable garden and enjoyed cooking, especially Asian and Italian dishes along with his annual buck stew. He loved trips to the family cabins at Echo Summit and Pinecrest.

In later years, he found time to travel and enjoyed trips to Europe, Thailand, Spain, and China to name a few. He was especially fond of cruising and loved Alaska and the fishing there. He traveled to and hosted for the El Dorado County, People to People Japan Exchange program many times.

Al was preceded in death by his parents, Helen and Elwin; brother, David (Barbara), and daughter Kim Veerkamp Faul. Al is survived by his longtime sweetheart Norma Davidson of Placerville, who loved and cared for him in his final years; his sister, Eva of Sacramento and Garth (Randi) of Grass Valley; daughter, Pam (Chris) Loughman, of San Diego; daughter, Susan (Brian) Jenks, of Albuquerque; grandchildren, Alex, Natalie, Derek, Penelope, Cameron, Tyler, Rebecca, and Miranda, and great grandchildren Sadie, Charlie, and one more on the way.

He will be missed by family and friends. Donations can be made to Snowline Hospice of El Dorado County.

At his request, no services will be held.

Philip (Pastor Phil)

Nathanael Flaming

March 5, 1958 – Dec. 12, 2022

Philip Flaming, 64, of Placerville, went home to be with his Heavenly Father on December 12 after a long battle with cancer. His cousin and Chaplain at Marshall Hospital were by his side, in the midst of prayer, when he passed. Philip served the Lord his whole life. He was born in Brazil to missionary parents. As an adult , he continued to serve on many mission trips, including Mexico and Papua New Guinea. In 1978, he began his service as an associate pastor and teacher at Highway Bible Church in Placerville, where he continued to serve until shortly before his passing. He is survived by family and friends all over the world.

There will be a remembrance of his life at 11:00 a.m. April 29 at Highway Bible Church, 6420 Mother Lode Dr, Placerville, Calif.

Former bank robber faces 27 years after 2022 standoff

Odin Rasco Staff writer

The man who engaged El Dorado County Sheri ’s O ce deputies in a stando in 2022 is facing 27 years in prison, pending an upcoming sentencing hearing. El Dorado County District Attorney’s O ce information shows David Andrew Clarke, 57, made threats to the husband of his deceased girlfriend’s daughter and a mutual friend and fired a shot at their Pleasant Valley home July 17, 2022. When EDSO deputies responded to the

CRIME LOG

The following was taken from Placerville Police Department logs:

April 5

4:48 p.m. Firearms were reported stolen on Locust Avenue.

April 6

7:43 a.m. Officers arrested a 47-year-old man on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance on Broadway.

April 8

7:40 a.m. Officers arrested a

weather

situation o of Alameda Road, Clarke fired at them and engaged them in a short stando before surrendering. No deputies were injured during the stando . Clarke has previously been convicted for bank robbery twice; one conviction from Nevada County in February 2011 and a federal conviction in June 2011 for a bank robbery in San Diego, according to the DA’s O ce. Despite the felony conviction, Clarke was in possession of a Winchester .22 rifle and a Colt .22 revolver when he was arrested

46-year-old man on suspicion of assault on a peace officer and public intoxication on Schnell School Road.

8:48 a.m. Officers cited a 38-year-old man reportedly found in possession of illegal drug paraphernalia.

11:51 a.m. Officers arrested a 24-year-old man found to be a parolee at large on Placerville Drive. The suspect also allegedly tried to bring a controlled substance into the jail.

April 9

1:08 a.m. Officers arrested a

in 2022. Clarke entered a no-contest plea April 11 to charges of assault with a firearm upon law enforcement o cers, making criminal threats, shooting at an inhabited dwelling and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Clarke’s sentence will include an enhancement of an additional five years due to his prior serious conviction, according to assistant to the DA Savannah Broddrick. Clarke will be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. May 1 in El Dorado County Superior Court Department 1.

32-year-old man on suspicion of possession of narcotics on Main Street.

6:23 a.m. An assault was reported on Winesap Circle.

10:51 a.m. Officers arrested a 38-year-old woman on suspicion of vandalism and possession of a methamphetamine pipe in Broadway.

5:20 p.m. Battery was reported at. Mosquito Road home.

7:13 p.m. Officers arrested a 41-year-old man suspected of drug-related offenses on Hillside Court.

8:24 p.m. Officers arrested a 38-year-old man on suspicion of public intoxication on Schnell School Road.

April 10

6:59 a.m. Burglary was reported on Placerville Drive.

10:31 a.m. Officers arrested a 34-year-old man allegedly too intoxicated to care for himself on Woodridge Court.

4:06 p.m. Vandalism was reported on Broadway.

5:22 p.m. Residential burglary was reported on Clay Street.

8:59 p.m. Officers arrested a 63-year-old man after responding to a reported assault on Cold Springs Road.

10:47 p.m. Officers arrested a 47-year-old man on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance on Broadway.

11:26 p.m. Vandalism was reported on New Jersey Way.

April 11

2:04 a.m. Officers arrested a 35-year-old man on suspicion of making criminal threats on Fair Lane.

10:42 a.m. Possible drugs and drug paraphernalia were reportedly found at a Cedar Ravine Road park.

11:57 a.m. Narcotics were reported stolen from a mailbox on Clay Street.

7:30 p.m. Officers arrested a 33-year-old man on suspicion of shoplifting at a Placerville Drive business.

April 12

9:07 a.m. Officers arrested a 44-year-old woman on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance on Forni Road.

April 13

8:27 a.m. A 46-year-old man was

arrested on Sacramento Street for reportedly concealing a dirk/ dagger, having an open container and being intoxicated in public.

1:29 p.m. A firearm was reported stolen from a home on Lillian Court.

April 14

10:53 a.m. A 32-year-old man with an outstanding warrant was taken into custody on Fair Lane.

3:48 p.m. A 41-year-old woman suspected of being under the influence of a controlled substance and who resisted arrest on Green Wing Lane was taken to county jail.

6:21 p.m. A battery between neighbors, two women aged 60 and 63, was reported on Schnell School Road.

7:21 p.m. A suspect attempted to break into a gate at a business on Cold Springs Road.

April 15

7:12 p.m. A 59-year-old man on parole was arrested on Placerville Drive after he was found to be in possession of a controlled substance.

April 16

2:50 a.m. Two 18-year-old men and one 21-year-old man were contacted by an officer at a park on Clark Street as it was after dark. One of the men threw a glass bottle at the officer and resisted arrest. All three were taken into custody.

10:37 a.m. A 36-year-old woman who was sleeping in a vehicle on Broadway was found to have an outstanding warrant and to be in possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia. She was placed under arrest.

8:55 p.m. Officers arrested a 46-year-old man on probation on Placerville Drive after a search revealed narcotics.

April 18

12:46 a.m. A man and woman aged 38 and 52 were cited for trespassing as they were found occupying a vacant commercial building on Green Valley Road.

2:30 p.m. Theft from a gem show was reported on Placerville Drive.

11:15 p.m. A 50-year-old man suspected of animal cruelty was arrested on Forni Road and booked on felony charges.

April 19

5:08 p.m. A man and woman aged 38 and 52 were cited for trespassing on Green Valley Road.

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Man who burned homeless woman to be sentenced

The man arrested by Placerville police for setting fire to the tent of a homeless woman that led to her receiving severe burns Jan. 1, 2021, has entered a no contest plea and will soon be sentenced.

Jacob Vargas, 27, reportedly confessed to setting fire to a tent with a woman sleeping inside at a homeless encampment on Placerville Drive prior to his arrest in March 2021. He is said to have slipped into the camp shortly after 4 a.m. and set fire to the tent using a flammable liquid.

Vargas, who was identified as a transient living in the Placerville area by the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, was identified as a suspect following an investigation conducted by the Placerville Police

Station 88

Department and the El Dorado County Fire Protection District.

The victim told investigators she awoke to the sound of a loud explosion as her tent became wreathed in flame. She managed to escape from the tent and extinguish the flames with the help of a neighboring camp occupant but sustained second-and thirddegree burns over 20% of her body, according to a Placerville Police

Continued from A1

illnesses and other absences within the district have resulted in a lot of overtime and staff burnout. He told board members and residents the loss of Engine 88 could add as much as two minutes to emergency response times within the Cameron Park Fire Department’s service area and also touted the county’s mutual aid system that ensures neighboring fire agencies will pitch in when needed.

But Rescue Fire Department Capt. Joel Warman, who lives in Cameron Park near Station 88, said he’s worried the impact to other agencies is being downplayed. He praised Cal Fire’s service to the community and noted, “They’re hamstrung on what their costs are. They’re bound by that and it’s not their fault.” Still, he maintained, closing a fire station, even temporarily should another funding source be found, is “not acceptable.”

“I would get rid of the ambulance,” Warman suggested.

All agreed the loss of a manned fire station is a hard hit but board members had even more concerns about the risks associated with giving up Medic 89.

Station 88’s brownout still doesn’t knock out the district’s financial woes. As Pichly stressed during the April 19 board meeting, more “tough choices” will have to be made in the coming months. A projected budget gap of more than $275,000 between the fire services’ projected revenues

($4,471,665) and expenditures

($4,747, 550) in fiscal year 2023-24 remains and that deficit continues to grow wider through the life of the five-year contract extension.

The general manager said the board might have no other choice but to allocate more of its property

Parlin Continued from A1

replacements but said there are “several well-qualified people” in mind.

“It is a matter of first things first but we will certainly be at the point where we are actually doing this in earnest, when the people will have a pretty good idea of what their choices might be,” Uso said.

A copy of the recall notice of intent was not available as of press time.

“I’m very happy that I was brought into this because I think that we need to do this for not just for the sake of District 4 but for the entire county,” Uso added. “There’s decisions that have been and are being made on the board that are not in the best interest of the entire county.”

Specifically he referenced the board’s decision to allow a temporary homeless navigation center/shelter to open in Placerville, which proved to be a controversial

Department press release. The woman was sent to the UC Davis Medical Center burn unit, where she received treatment.

Vargas was initially charged with attempted murder, mayhem and arson causing great bodily injury when he was arrested by police. Additionally, Vargas reportedly attempted to escape from custody while police were transporting him to the El Dorado County Jail.

Vargas faces a sentence of seven years in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for a charge of arson causing great bodily injury, according to a social media post from the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office.

Vargas will have his sentencing hearing May 5 in Department 1 of El Dorado County Superior Court.

tax revenue to fire protection, forcing cuts to the CSD’s parks and recreation programs and its administration. “It could be that we close certain facilities,” Pichly told the board. “There’s never good options.”

CPCSD Director Dawn Wolfson suggested staff research long-term funding solutions, even perhaps a ballot measure to boost the district’s tax revenue.

Board President Sidney Bazett asked about personnel savings like possibly having just paramedics staff the ambulance rather than firefighter/paramedics. Blankenheim said Cal Fire does not have a paramedic-only position so that staff would have to come from another agency.

Noting that everything is just “more expensive” these days, Director Eric Aiston said he wished he could do more for Cameron Park residents but “reluctantly supports” the plan. This contract extension gives staff the time to explore options, he noted, adding the district’s forthcoming Fire Master Plan (for which a consultant contract was approved earlier in the evening) could offer some ideas — such as sending out a request for proposals to other fire agencies that could serve Cameron Park.

“We’ve had a great partnership (with Cal Fire),” Bazett said. “They’re highly professional and provide great service for us.”

But the board president asserted the CSD has an obligation to best serve its residents and look at all possibilities.

Pichly will return with a fire services resolution for adoption at the May board meeting. Do

decision for El Dorado County residents. Uso noted residents have different reasons for signing the recall notice.

Parlin has seven days from the time she was served to respond to the recall notice. Recall proponents have 10 days to submit proof of publication to the Elections Department, along with two blank copies of the recall petition.

Elections staff has 10 days to review blank petitions and inform proponents of any required changes. When the election department signs off the petition will be ready for circulation. Recall proponents have 120 days to circulate the petition and must grab 5,535 valid signatures from District 4 voters.

Parlin beat out former Supervisor Michael Ranalli in 2018 and ran unopposed for the position in 2022 for a second four-year term.

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Repeal the state’s Prop. 19 death tax

Igot hit by a car last year while riding my bicycle.

But not just any car — it was a remotecontrol car being operated by a teenager in my neighborhood who directed the miniature missile right through a stop sign.

And while not as large as a real automobile — it weighed about 10 pounds — it was heavy and fast enough to knock my bike out from under me and turned my back wheel into something resembling a fortune cookie.

Surprises can be nasty. And some surprises are far more serious than a broken bike and a mild case of road rash.

Under the category of very serious surprises is what is happening to California families who, while grieving the loss of a family member, are shocked to see massive increases in property taxes from inherited homes and other real estate. It started in November 2020, when voters narrowly passed Proposition 19, which repealed an important taxpayer protection from the California Constitution that taxpayers have relied on.

The passage of Prop. 19 had the effect of resurrecting the death tax on property that voters had eliminated back in 1986. Since Prop. 19’s passage thousands of families have personally encountered the unwelcome and cruel return of the death tax, which is triggered on the date of the passing of the last surviving parent or, in some cases, grandparent. Their home or small business is reassessed to current market value and then their children or grandchildren who inherit the property are shocked to see a massive increase in the property tax bill.

The resurrection of the death tax upended the long-established law concerning the transfer of property between parents and their children. Because of Prop. 19, many families are now forced into the unwanted sale of a family home or rental housing property because they cannot afford the property taxes.

Moreover, the impact on minority communities has been especially acute. As cogently stated by Edwin Lombard, president and CEO of the California African American Chamber of Commerce, “For Black families, homeownership is the primary means of building generational wealth and upward mobility. And small business development is often financed through a home’s equity. If we do nothing, the racial wealth inequity in California will only get worse.”

n See Coupal page A5

letters to the editor

Save Rasmussen pond

EDITOR:

Rasmussen Pond is the most serene and scenic point in our Cameron Park community. It is our very own 21st century Walden Pond. Native Americans have lived and worked near the pond for hundreds if not thousands of years. If you have ever been there you know it needs your protection, not development. I’ve hiked by there many times in my 30-plus years living in Cameron Park.

My family is 100% against the development in this area. For our community and children’s sake, just say no to a housing development at Rasmussen Pond. This community is strongly opposed to any development there. Don’t pave paradise to put up a parking lot.

Please listen to our community and reject the development and save Rasmussen Pond.

Battle over Rassmussen pond

EDITOR:

Thank you for the well-written and enlightening article on the Cameron Meadows development that seeks to destroy a wonderful local natural habitat. As a longtime El Dorado County resident, it pains me to see more and more development in our rural county, especially when they go against our General Plan.

It is our duty as citizens to tell these developers that the residents oppose these plans, as they will add to traffic, flooding, loss of natural habitats and overall reduction of health of our residents as this area is used by thousands of hikers, joggers and nature walkers every year.

The TTLC company mentioned should honor its vision statement of repurposing under-utilized commercial property. We would support that, but not the destruction of our local wildlife.

Thank you, Mountain Democrat, for bringing attention to this wonderful area that should not be built over.

Developer pays lip service

EDITOR:

The TTLC tentative subdivision plan shows that as many houses as possible are being packed into the area allowable by federal,

Belltower Fraud, abuse, voters’ rights attack

What happened to the federal COVID Relief funds?

Judicial Watch, an open government foundation, announced in its March edition that hackers tied to the Chinese government stole $20 million.

In 2022 the House of Representatives documented waste, fraud and abuse in the American Rescue Plan — $783 million in stimulus checks for convicted criminals, including the Boston bomber.

Other APRA expenditures included $40 million to expand libraries in Delaware and $2 million for a Florida golf course, $16 million for electric vehicle charging stations in Maine and $20 million to modernize fish hatcheries in that state.

That’s a small summary from the March issue of Verdict, a Judicial Watch publication. Donations help

fund the organization’s Freedom of Information lawsuits.

Of course, this pales in comparison to the California Employment Development Department, which lost $30 billion when the actual unemployed were going crazy trying to sign up for benefits, many of which went to prisoners and foreign entities. The incompetent manager who oversaw this $30 billion debacle has been nominated by President Biden to be Labor Secretary. She checks two boxes: woman and Asian, but not competency.

The April edition of Verdict included the information that the Capital Police Lt. Michael Byrd, after killing an unarmed Air Force veteran Ashley Babitt, laid low by staying at Joint Base Andrews, Md., costing the Air Force thousands of dollars as he stayed there with his dog, moving from temporary quarters to the

state and county regulations. The nature of land left vacant is such that is not economically viable to build single-lot residential houses.

Currently the parcel zone is R1A (minimum lot size of 1 acre). The plan assumes that the parcel is rezoned to R1 that allows one to five lots per acre. That is a minimum lot size of 0.2 acre (8,714 square feet). The plan shows 104 of the 161 lots are less than 8,714 square feet and 54 of these 104 lots are less than 0.17 acre (7,260 square feet) — an equivalent to six lots per acre.

The housing developments that make up only a third of the parcel boundary have an average lot size of 12,000 square feet (0.28 acre). The remainder of the boundary is open space or 5- to 10-acre lots.

The 5-foot minimum offset of houses from lotside boundaries is being used where ever possible with the result that the distance between the sides of houses is 10 feet.

The roads are so narrow that the Fire Safe Plan prepared for TTLC requires all the roads except Carousel Lane be posted “No Parking” on one side of the roadway.

The Tentative Subdivision Plan will make this the highest density housing project in the area. The local residents will be really excited about this development as when they bought in this region, the zoning of this parcel was R5A (minimum lot size 5 acre) and lately R1A (minimum lot size 1 acre).

the real problems

EDITOR:

This is how old I am. I went to a Catholic high school where the boys were in a different part of the building and we didn’t see them except, rarely, in the halls, which was very exciting.

One day the monsignor called us all into church (this was a parish school for local students) and warned us about boy-crazy girls and girl-crazy boys. Innocent as we were, we knew it was he who had the problem. It was all we could do to get a date for the prom. (One of the boys borrowed his family car to drive six of us to it.)

Since that innocent time it has become well known that high school students are having intercourse. But recently I heard a woman talking on the radio about taking her 15-year-old daughter

n See letters page A5

– plus

Distinguished Visitor Suite normally reserved for brigadier general and above. The expenses included meals. He stayed there seven months.

* * *

With supermajorities of Democrats in both houses of the state Legislature we are burdened with bizarre actions like telling fast food businesses how much they should pay employees. Or declaring everyone, even freelance court reporters and a host of other freelancers, that they should be paid full time. The only exception is real estate agents.

Now Los Angeles Democrat Isaac Bryon wants to change the referendum and initiative process. He wants paid signature gatherers to register for training. He also wants 10% of the signature gathers to be volunteers. The only volunteers are unions, which are backing the legislation. Applying this to referendums and initiatives affecting recently passed legislation, the change also reduces the time allowed for signature gathering.

It’s a first strike against the rights of

top

secrecy

the people to overrule legislation.

* * *

Th 21-year-old Air National Guard member who was arrested on suspicion of releasing top secret information was an IT person. That is information technology. The questions not being asked: Was he the only IT person? Why wasn’t there someone overseeing his work? My only reference is the El Dorado Irrigation District, which has about four IT people monitoring the internet and EID’s technology. There is also a computer/IT manager. EID spends a million annually or biannually updating its computer system.

Being 21 has no bearing on his sophistication. I had top secret clearance way before I was 21. In fact, I turned 21 when I was in Antarctica. I loved the Antarctic service squadron because they actually sent me off to school to learn the circuity and service an Ultra High Frequency radio. They also sent me off to radar school. Top Secret? I discovered my classmates at

n See raffety, page A5

A4 Monday, April 24, 2023 Mountain Democrat mtdemocrat.com The Mountain Democrat welcomes letters up to 300 words. Letters may be edited. We reserve the right to edit submissions. Include your name, address and phone number for verification purposes. Email: editor@ mtdemocrat.net Snail Mail: Letters to the Editor P. O. Box 1088, Placerville 95667 Main Office: 2889 Ray Lawyer Drive Placerville 95667 OPINION Richard B. Esposito Publisher Krysten Kellum Editor Noel Stack Managing Editor
California Commentary
… many families are now forced into the unwanted sale of a family home or rental housing property because they cannot afford the property taxes. Moreover, the impact on minority communities has been especially acute.

Witness reports of man kicking dog leads to arrest

Placerville Police Department officers arrested and booked 50-year-old Brian Garwood Seligo into El Dorado County Jail on suspicion of animal cruelty.

Officers responded to a report that Seligo kicked his one-year-old female German shepherd Tuesday, April 18, around 11 p.m. at the Arco Gas Station on Forni Road. Several witnesses called police, according to Cmdr. Dan Maciel.

Seligo was contacted by officers nearby the gas station and subsequently arrested.

El Dorado County Animal Services staff impounded the German shepherd, which was taken to the county animal shelter, according to Animal Services Chief Henry Brzezinski. Seligo is being held $120,000 bail. His booking sheet shows he has a South Lake Tahoe address, according to Maciel.

Coupal Continued from A4

For those who think that Prop. 19 only hurts those who inherit property, guess again. It’s been very bad news for tenants as well. The death tax is contributing to upward pressure on rents because the passing of mom-and-pop landlords triggers the reassessment of buildings to current market value. That means that the big increase in property taxes — as much as 400% — will have to be passed along to tenants, whether the owner’s children decide to keep the property or are forced to sell. If the housing units are under rent control, the building could be sold and demolished and the property converted to another use.

Since it became law, the damage inflicted by Prop. 19 is only getting worse and taxpayers are

Raffety

Continued from A4

the radar school included Jordanians and Israelis. I still took my top-secret clearance seriously.

I don’t have a lot of faith in the current Defense Department to be as sophisticated as the 21-yearold or even as sophisticated as the Navy was in the 1960s when I served or as sophisticated as EID. When I was on the EID Board or Directors, we were required to change our email passwords every six months. EID stays on top of its IT responsibilities and is on constant alert for hack attacks, phishing attacks and other issues. If EID were running the Defense Department there would

calling for change. For that reason, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is supporting Senate Constitutional Amendment No. 4 by Sen. Kelly Seyarto, R-Murrieta. This proposal would restore the taxpayer protections that would allow for the intergenerational transfer of properties without triggering massive tax bills.

Taxpayers, voters, property owners and tenants who wish to restore the original protection for inherited properties need to contact their legislators as soon as possible. Look up the names and contact information of your representatives at findyourrep. legislature.ca.gov.

Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

be no unauthorized releases.

Finally, the Defense Department personnel and payment system is still run by punch cards. Punch cards were invented by Herman Hollerith in about 1880 to speed up compiling the 1890 census.

A Defense Department still relying on punch cards for part of its operation is an out-of-touch outfit that couldn’t find its way out of a paper bag let alone find a breach of protocol immediately instead of months later.

Michael Raffety is a retired editor of the Mountain Democrat and a resident of the Placerville area.

Letters

Continued from A4

to the doctor for an exam for birth control. Right.

Many elected officials seem to spend a lot of time on birth control and abortion when they are not concerning themselves with people who have gender differences. Are they just salacious? Could they sublimate an unfortunate tendency and go after the molesters of children instead of leaving it up to the victims?

ELIZABETH CAFFREY Placerville

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mArsHALL HOsPitAL

AUxiLiAry is looking for volunteers. It is a rewarding opportunity to do something for the community. We will be holding interviews on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Please contact Linda Grimoldi at 530-6202240 or call the Auxiliary Office at 530-626-2643.

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Our mission is to educate the public on tax issues that affect them. Our meetings are held every Monday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 at Denny’s Restaurant, Fair Lane Drive, Placerville. Meetings are open to the public except the first Monday of each month. For more information call Louis (530) 622-6763. We are a nonpartisan organization

mtdemocrat.com Mountain Democrat Monday, April 24, 2023 A5 ACROSS 1 Important skill in an awkward interaction 5 Pearly ___ (entrance to heaven) 10 Org. overseeing Rx’s 13 “Here comes trouble …” 14 Cured slice on a deli tray 15 Place to lay a napkin 16 Ice cream dessert served in a boat 18 Address ending in .com or .edu, e.g. 19 Vegan version of a classic brunch dish 21 Basic country dance 24 Bird symbolizing the arrival of spring 25 Vietnam’s capital 26 “M*A*S*H” eatery 29 “Peeper” that makes no sound 30 Podcasting partner, e.g. 33 Pushing the envelope, so to speak 34 Citrusy cocktail garnish 36 Lofty spot for K-I-S-S-I-N-G, in a schoolyard taunt 39 “Count me in!” 40 What the fish said when it swam into a concrete wall, per an old joke 43 Witty banter 45 Euphemism for an expletive, with “the” 47 Love to bits 48 Neighbors of flutists, in an orchestra 50 Sweet spiral pastry topped with icing 54 Hit the ___ (go to bed) 55 Not pay for a meal at a restaurant ... or a hint to each half of 16-, 19-, 34and 50-Across 59 Durable wood that’s softer than oak 60 Numerous beyond calculation 61 Big name in dryerase markers 62 Stubborn animal 63 Lowly workers 64 Cut the crop? DOWN 1 Big ice cream container 2 “Eureka!” 3 Pro’s opposite 4 “Oh, really?” 5 Fill one’s tank 6 Mountains where St. Bernards were originally bred 7 Soft mineral powder 8 Kuwaiti ruler 9 Instruments for Ravi and Anoushka Shankar 10 Misspoke a line, e.g. 11 “Honey” or “sugar” alternative 12 Galore 14 Out of danger 17 Catch sight of 20 Quintessential Route 66 lodging 21 With 23-Down, a person’s soul mate 22 Method 23 See 21-Down 26 World, in French 27 Bruins legend Phil, to fans 28 Fume (over) 31 Skip over 32 Catcher’s spot, in baseball 34 Get educated (about) 35 Surround completely 36 Windpipe 37 Tries to call again 38 Ones after whom others are named 40 Fancy hairstyles, informally 41 Museum hangings 42 Physicians, for short 44 Get educated (on) 46 Harder to tame 48 Tests taken verbally 49 Connect as pals 51 “It’s ___, all ___!” 52 Not hoodwinked by 53 Like glow paint colors 56 Lumberjack’s implement 57 Me-day destination 58 Partner of skip and jump PUZZLE BY ADAM VINCENT Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay. ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE LILT GAMS BINGO OMAR ETAL AMOUR BIGIFTRUE SMILE ONSTEROIDS OSLO ERIC SERVES LIM NCIS MAAM SPAR HOTDOGBUN DOYOUQUARRELSIR DISGUSTED EINE CALI SANS CAP TOPICS MITE MOMA KETTLEDRUM BIERS CHEAPDATE ALIKE TRAP ISNT SENSE SUMS EPEE The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Monday, April 24, 2023 Edited by Will Shortz No. 0320 Crossword 1234 56789 101112 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 212223 24 25 262728 29 303132 33 34 35 363738 39 404142 43 44 4546 47 4849 50 515253 54 55 565758 59 60 61 62 63 64 Monday, April 24, 2023 ACROSS 1 Annual destination of about 2.5 million pilgrims 6 Array outside the United Nations headquarters 11 Actress Grier of action films 14 Even a little bit 15 Place to clip a wireless mic 16 Softball stat 17 Injury that’s so embarrassing no one is allowed to mention it? 19 Taylor Swift’s “___ Song” 20 Not just yet 21 One of clubs? 23 It’s no walk in the park 25 Conical dwelling 28 Home to the Munch Museum 29 Tampa Bay footballer, familiarly 30 Result of forgetting to pack a toothbrush for a Doha vacation? 32 Big bungle 34 Avoid a collision at the last second, say 35 “End of story!” 37 Soldier’s affirmative 41 Artery openers 45 Childbirth assistant 46 Cuban dance performed at a Russian villa? 50 Toilet paper layer 51 Plant in some juices and lotions 52 Pittsburgh-based giant in the metals industry 53 Scene of chaos 54 Made the grade 56 Earthy pigment 58 Penultimate Greek letter 59 Indistinct muttering from a ring-tailed primate? 64 Heart test readout, for short 65 ___ of Hearts (tart-stealing Wonderland character) 66 Fruit whose name precedes “fruit” in the name of another fruit 67 Competed in a marathon 68 Lieu 69 Matches up DOWN 1 Step on it! 2 Announcement from a flight attendant, for short 3 Iconic San Francisco transport 4 Wear for Dracula 5 Not just some 6 Broccoli tops 7 Southeast Asian language 8 Police dept. alert 9 What the acorn said when it grew up, in a classic math joke 10 Gin flavoring 11 “Survivor” host Jeff 12 Spanish grandmother 13 Something to reflect on? 18 Possibly glitchy software release 22 To a greater degree 23 Largest in a set of kitchen measurers: Abbr. 24 Ancient alphabet character 26 Nickelodeon’s “___ Patrol” 27 Palindromic poetic preposition 30 Fixed share of work 31 100% vegan cosmetics brand 33 Casts a wide net, maybe 36 Appealing to selfindulgent impulses 38 Figure on the cover of Action Comics #1 39 Societal woes 40 Emanations from the sun 42 Org. that uses Zambonis 43 “Tic ___ Dough” (bygone game show) 44 Searched exhaustively 46 Snazzily dressed 47 U.S. state with nearly 34,000 miles of shoreline 48 Give support in efforts to acquire a loan, say 49 Soccer legend Mia 53 ___ Christmas 55 Antlered animals 57 Creepy-crawlies 60 Astronaut Jemison 61 Sch. in Charlottesville 62 Bars to be scanned, in brief 63 Hi-___ photo PUZZLE BY MICHAEL LIEBERMAN Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay. ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE TACT GATES FDA UHOH SALAMI LAP BANANASPLIT URL TOFUSCRAMBLE TWOSTEP ROBIN HANOI MESSTENT EYE COHOST EDGY LEMONPEEL TREE IMDOWN DAM REPARTEE FWORD ADORE OBOISTS CINNAMONROLL HAY DINEANDDASH ELM UNTOLD EXPO ASS PEONS REAP The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Tuesday, April 25, 2023 Edited by Will Shortz No. 0321 Crossword 12345 678910 111213 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 2122 2324 252627 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 383940 41 424344 45 464748 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 5657 58 596061 6263 64 65 66 67 68 69 Tuesday, April 25, 2023
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD
Have something to say?? Email your letter to editor to editor@mtdemocrat.net We do not publish anonymous letters so don’t forget to include your first and last name and where in el Dorado county you
live.

Placerville’s Christmas tree has quite a story

Editor’s note: This article has been updated from the original published in 2009.

Each holiday season the city of Placerville installs lights on the tall redwood tree that stands on the northeast corner of Bedford Avenue and Main Street, next to a building that was the post office and once housed the El Dorado County District Attorney.

Over the years this tree has been damaged by wind and weather and even had its top cut off because the fire department’s equipment could not reach above that height to decorate, but it gallantly survives. It has apparently been at this location almost 100 years, but how it got there is somewhat a mystery.

The story starts just before Christmas in 1918 when the American Forestry Association began to encourage the use of living trees for community Christmas trees, instead of the normal routine of cutting down a large tree each year for that purpose. Over the next few years the campaign began to gain supporters and in December of 1924 the association donated a 35-foot, nursery grown Norway Spruce to President Calvin Coolidge.

Warzecha

White House tree

The donated tree was planted in Sherman Plaza, south of the Treasury Building and close to the east entrance of the White House. On Dec. 24, 1924 President Calvin Coolidge, known to be a man of few words, stood before a microphone and said, “I accept this tree and I will now light it.” He then flipped a switch and 1,200 red, amber and green incandescent lights, installed by the Society for Electrical Development and the Electric League of Washington, brightly lit up the tree. This was

Continued from A1

dreams of becoming an astronaut, he studied aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan and mechanical engineering at the University of Washington. And although he hasn’t made it on a spaceship yet, he has made a career in aerospace, having worked on the Artemis program, the Boeing 777 and other commercial rocket vehicles.

“The wonderful part of that dream is that if you don’t become an astronaut, your plan B is a good thing,” Warzecha said. “I have no complaints. My plan B worked out really well.”

He has also met more than his fair share of astronauts, including Jim McDivitt, George “Pinky” Nelson, Anthony England and Jack Lousma as well as Apollo 13 flight director Gene Kranz.

Warzecha has channeled his passion for outer space through not only his career but teaching as well, doing outreach work in elementary schools even as a college student. Earlier this year Warzecha became El Dorado Hills’ first NASA Solar System Ambassador.

The program, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary last fall, communicates information on real missions and updates from the leading edge of NASA’s solar system exploration. Funded by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, it is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and now has more than 1,100 volunteers.

“They want people from all walks of life,” said Warzecha. “Not just engineers or astronomers like me, but artists, school teachers — they even had a Catholic nun at one point and there was a composer in my training program.”

Warzecha’s first gig as an ambassador was at the Sacramento Valley Astronomical Society where he spoke on the life of Edwin Hubble and the Hubble Space Telescope. It happens to be a subject he presented several years ago at Holy Trinity School, where he is now a children’s minister. He hopes to connect with more local schools to bring what he dubs “hands-on astronomy,” helping people look through a telescope and showing them stars or nebulas and why they are important.

“Just watching kids get wowed by seeing something that you would only see in photographs, seeing the

the first use of a living tree as the United States National Community Christmas Tree.

National tree

In 1926 the late Charles E. Lee, then secretary of the Sanger Chamber of Commerce, wrote President Calvin Coolidge requesting that the General Grant Tree in Kings Canyon National Park be officially designated as the “Nation’s Christmas Tree.” Lee had visited the majestic 267 foot tall sequoia in 1924 and when standing in front of it heard a little girl

actual object with your eyes,” he said, his enthusiasm palpable. “My favorite part is seeing the kids get really excited about science, about nature. And having them ask me these awesome questions. I love it when they actually stump me.”

One subject Warzecha is keen to discuss is the leveraging of aerospace technology. “We have a lot of technology that we take for granted that came from the space program,” he said, explaining that hydrogen fuel cells have powered American spacecraft from Gemini and Apollo to the space shuttle. He is currently developing hydrogen fuel cell powered semi-trucks.

“If you have a spaceship, you have to have computing power. NASA worked with MIT to figure out a way of miniaturizing computers. That technology wound up being leveraged into the Silicon Valley boom of the 1970s and ’80s,” he said, going on to list other spin off technology such as mirrors developed for the James Webb Space Telescope now being used for eye surgery, solar cells developed to power space craft and satellites and composite materials used for rocket tanks now used for hydrogen-powered vehicle storage tanks.

Warzecha is looking forward to his next presentation on the Apollo moon landing program which will be held on April 29 at the Community Observatory in Placerville. He plans to look at the moon afterward to show where they landed. A summer presentation on the evolution of stars is also in the works.

Until then, Warzecha will be putting in miles on his road bike, catching up on some science fiction and history reading or exploring Yosemite as an avid mountaineer. Warzecha lives with his wife Maribelle and his father Richard. His twin daughters, Amelia and Natalia, both graduated from Ponderosa High School and his son Andrew is a senior there.

“I’ve been a space nerd for my whole life,” he said. “This way I can start volunteer work now and have something to do when I retire.”

The views expressed by Warzecha are not necessarily the views of NASA or JPL. For more information about the Solar System Ambassadors Program visit jpl.nasa.gov/ ambassador. Find Warzecha on Twitter at michal@aeromarmot.

A6 Monday, April 24, 2023 Mountain Democrat mtdemocrat.com Get Screened for Risks of Stroke and Cardiovascular Disease Are you at risk? Call 855-907-6864 Special Offer 5 Screening Package for $149 Screenings are easy, painless and non-invasive $0 MONEY DOWN + LOW MONTHLY PAYMENT OPTIONS Contact a Generac dealer for full terms and conditions Prepare for power outages today WITH A HOME STANDBY GENERATOR REQUEST A FREE QUOTE CALL NOW BEFORE THE NEXT POWER OUTAGE (877) 354-1432 *To qualify, consumers must request a quote, purchase, install and activate the generator with a participating dealer. Call for a full list of terms and conditions. FREE 7-Year Extended Warranty* – A $695 Value!
Mountain Democrat file photo by Krysten Kellum The Placerville City Council may receive an arborist’s report at a City Council meeting next month regarding the community Christmas tree that took damage in severe storms over the winter. n See Tree, page A7

Tree Continued from A6 exclaim, “What a wonderful Christmas Tree it would be.” Remembering the little girl’s comments, the next year he organized a Christmas program in front of the General Grant Tree at noon on Christmas Day.

Excited by the success of the program, he and the president of the Sanger Chamber, R. J. Senior, came up with the idea of an annual Christmas ceremony at the tree. To give it more significance Lee wrote President Coolidge and on April 28, 1926 the General Grant tree was officially designated the “Nation’s Christmas Tree.”

Placerville tree

As time went on, more and more places around the nation, especially in California, began to plant and use living trees as community Christmas trees and in a Dec. 1, 1928 article in the Placerville Republican and Nugget, Placerville Fire Chief O. N. Hirst announced his intention to ask the Placerville City Council for permission to plant a living Christmas tree on the Moyle lot, which is where the present tree stands.

In the event this permission was granted, he indicated that the Shakespeare Club, Parent Teachers’ Association, Lions’ Club, 20-30 Club, American Legion and other local organizations would be asked to assist in financing the decorations and lighting of the tree.

According to the same article the idea of a living community Christmas tree in Placerville was not new. A similar idea had been rejected by the Lions’ Club the previous year, and the 20-30 Club earlier in 1928, but it was hoped that with community support a living Christmas tree could be planted at this location.

After all, it was pointed out, Grace Moyle had transferred this parcel of land to the city specifically for public use and that was exactly what was being proposed.

The city council agreed to allow Hirst to plant the tree and on Dec. 7, 1928 he announced in the Republican that the State of California had donated a seven foot “Giant of the Forest” to the city and that he would be going to Sacramento to pick it up.

At the same time it was announced that the American Legion had endorsed the idea of the tree being planted at the designated site and strung with lights as the community Christmas tree.

On the same day a story in the Mountain Democrat also indicated that a tree had been approved. It was not a redwood, but a 20-foot-high fir tree that the volunteer firemen were going into the forest to get and plant in the Moyle lot.

“We’ll have to move approximately a ton of dirt with the tree in the transplanting,” Hirst said. “It will take three or four days to get the tree out and it will be a real job to move it.”

Which tree

Apparently there was some confusion between the newspapers as to what tree the fire chief wanted to be the “community Christmas tree.”

The Dec. 12, 1928 issue of the Republican stated that the sequoia for the Moyle lot had been picked up in Sacramento and brought to Placerville. The details of the planting had not been worked out and would be announced shortly. The same article indicated that the Placerville Lions had pledged aid to the tree and the upcoming Christmas program at the site.

Everything seemed to be in order at this point and the Republican indicated that the sequoia would probably be planted before or during the Christmas program. When the program was held at the court house on Dec. 20, 1928 the 20-foot fir tree there was decorated, but there is no mention of the sequoia the state had donated.

The Jan. 9, 1929 edition of the Mountain Democrat adds a bit of clarity to this confusing issue with a story titled, “Sequoia Washingtoniana ‘Resident’ of Placerville.” It then goes on to say, “Miss Sequoia Washingtoniana has been a Placerville resident since Christmas Day. Her presence has been noted but it seemed that other matters assumed greater importance in our memory and Miss Sequoia Washingtoniana arrived unheralded. The redwood, gift of the state, was planted on the Moyle lot by Fire Chief O. N. Hirst.”

More confusion

Now the story could stop there but Sequoia washingtoniana is the scientific name for a giant sequoia and, according to people who should know, the present tree is not a giant sequoia, but a redwood, a tree found along the coast.

Adding new light to the mystery, in 1953 an article appeared in a still unidentified local newspaper.

Authored by a Gene Macel, and titled “City Landmark Glows Again with Yule Spirit,” it placed the year of planting as 1926 and said that “the tiny redwood was planted by Mrs. Lena Rantz in memory of her husband, Dr. Stephen H. Rantz, a beloved country doctor.” The story then traces much of the history of the property from its original mining claim up through its purchase by Thomas Moyle.

Moyle owned a saloon on the property for many years and, according to the story, “There was an old wine cellar below where beer was stored and served ice-cold to customers.”

The saloon was torn down after a group of citizens raised the money to buy the property with the intention of widening Bedford Avenue. The story then adds, “(Mayor) Albert Simons acquired title to the property for the city of Placerville on April 9, 1926 and the redwood tree was planted in the same year.”

The story then points out that in 1937 one Ernie Oppenheimer decided that the tree had acquired enough stature and beauty to deserve Christmas decorations.

“Oppenheimer bought a good supply of lights and Andy Anderson and his helpers from the city hall, strung them that year and every year since.”

Confirmation

This 1953 story seems quite reasonable and confirms another story that appeared in the September 9, 1940 issue of the Mountain Democrat. It states, “(The City) Council voted $50 to be donated to the businessmen for Xmas decorations and voted to place an appropriate marker by the Dr. S. H. Rantz memorial tree, planted a dozen years ago in the city park at the junction of Main and Bedford.”

As to the “appropriate marker,” there is neither a marker nor any indication there was ever a marker on or near the tree regarding Dr. Rantz. There are other markers nearby, but nothing makes reference to the tree or Dr. Rantz.

More questions

Around the early 2000s the Placerville Department of Recreation was cleaning up around the tree and uncovered a loose plaque that stated, “Presented by the American Legion Auxiliary, 1934.” There seems to be no connection between this plaque and the tree and nothing in the park seems to be missing a plaque. However, there were the remains of a base of an old flagpole a dozen feet to the east of the tree where the plaque may have been placed.

If all this isn’t confusing enough, there are other stories around Placerville regarding the tree. One story is that the tree was planted by hotel owner Lloyd Raffetto and local government official John Winkleman in honor of the former Moyle’s saloon. Former El Dorado County Supervisor and county native Joe Flynn said that his mother Alice Flynn owned the Hangtown Café, near the hotel, and was involved with the planting, but often remarked that she thought it was planted too close to the building.

A second story is that the tree may be one of the small redwood trees that a member of the Blair family brought back from Santa Cruz where he and his new bride had spent their honeymoon. Apparently they were planted not only on the Blair property but other places around Placerville.

There are no exact dates for the above stories but they were in the correct era and could both be referring to the “Rantz” tree, supposedly planted in 1926.

If today’s tree is the 1926 Rantz Memorial Tree, the tree obtained by Fire Chief Hirst or another tree, nobody seems to know. But, as interesting as it is, it probably doesn’t matter. It is a magnificent tree and when lit each Christmas season, adds even more beauty to the city.

One answer

As a final note, if you are wondering what happened to the 20 foot fir tree planted for the 1928 Christmas ceremony and supposedly intended to be the “community Christmas tree,” the May 21, 1929 issue of the Mountain Democrat clears that up. “Lost! One fir tree, which last Christmas served as a community Christmas tree, has disappeared from the Moyle lot. Who removed it? Nobody knows. However, the tree had died and ceased to be the beautiful city ornament it was intended to be, so that its removal constitutes somewhat the same improvement on the corner that was made when the tree was planted.”

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Whether natural or imposed, an unhurried sense of time will serve you in multiple ways. It puts others at ease with you, increases your attractiveness and lets you ease into a comprehensive understanding of the circumstance.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You want to help someone but are afraid you’ll be trapped if they need you too much. The answer is to help people help themselves by teaching them instead of doing things for them.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). This is the beginning. Every day has the potential to be the beginning if you want it to be, but some days it’s easier to see the fresh start or to become the new person opening a door.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). After striving, gaining ground and seeing continual improvement, it is natural to hit a plateau. This is a signal to change up your strategy. Doing something different could look active or challenging, and it could also look like a nice, long break.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Though you are loyal to those in your vicinity, try not to become too local. There’s so much to be experienced that you won’t have time to do if you give all your repeat business to the ones you already know.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The happiness you crave has various forms, many of them unexpected. Because of this, it would be easy to overlook sources of joy. You’ll see opportunity better when you don’t need things to be any certain way.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Don’t try and hide a flaw.

Instead, put a frame around it, spotlight it and ponder anything and everything that’s good about it. Within a limitation, there are gifts you have yet to mine.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You learn what’s expected so you can exceed it. Your communication is stellar, your understanding multilayered. In addition to finding out the literal guidelines, you’ll read between the lines and take the emotional temperature.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). The entire scope of people’s motivations is unknowable. You’re well aware that good people can do bad things and bad people can do good things. You’ll consider the entire context of a scenario and handle matters carefully and discreetly.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Consider the demand for what you offer. You’re doing something others need. When it’s time to be charitable, you’ll give it away for free. And when it’s time to be professional, you charge a fair price.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Emptiness invites fate’s blessing. What can you let go of to make room? An empty seat, space on the counter or in the inbox — these are all good omens. Good luck comes to you when there’s a place for it.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). All investments, including financial, energetic and emotional, come with risk. You may not get back what you pay in, or you may get a large return, and not knowing how it’s going to go is part of the excitement.

mtdemocrat.com Mountain Democrat Monday, April 24, 2023 A7
n RUBES by Leigh Rubin n SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly
COMiCS
n TODAy HOROSCOPE by Holiday Mathis Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 SUDOkU
to puzzles in Classified section of newspaper.
Solutions

, these are adjectives that describe a polar bear! Can you think of other adjectives that would describe this animal?

Polar bears love sh! How many sh can you catch on this page?

Each hair shaft is transparent with a hollow core that scatters and re ects visible light, much like what happens with ice and snow, giving it a bright white appearance.

Polar bears live on ice near the North Pole in the Arctic, which is covered in ice and surrounded by very cold water. But that doesn’t bother a polar bear.

In each box, write the letter that comes before the letter at the bottom of each box to find a couple of cool ways these fluffy fellows stay warm.

In January, the average temperature in the Arctic ranges from a chilly 0°C to -34°C (32°F to -40°F).

In July, the average temperature range is from –10°C to 10 °C (14°F to 50 °F).

Color the graph to show the temperature range in each month using Celsius.

Very Special Fur

Polar bears have two types of fur: long oily guard hairs and short insulating hairs.

Polar bear paws can grow to be 12 inches across (31 centimeters) and help distribute weight when treading on thin ice.

When swimming, their broad forepaws act like large paddles and the hind paws serve as rudders for steering.

Black footpads on the bottom of each paw are covered by small, soft bumps known as papillae Papillae grip the ice and keep the bear from slipping. Tufts of fur between their toes and footpads may help with purchase as well as can their claws.

The long, oily guard hairs are tiny, hollow tubes that trap warmth and hold it close to the skin. Their oily surface keeps polar bears dry.

Under the guard hairs is a layer of dense, short, soft hairs that trap heat close to the skin, like thermal underwear.

What’s another name for a polar bear’s layer of fat?

The letters along the correct ice path reveal the answer.

Verbs and Adjectives

Look through the newspaper and find five adjectives that describe a polar bear. Then find five verbs that describe how a polar bear moves. Write one or more sentences about a polar bear using your adjectives and verbs.

Write

These statements are either all true or all false. Check your answers by adding up the numbers next to each of your answers. If the total is 33, you’ve got it right!

bear young are called cubs.

Apolar bear’s nose can smell a seal on the ice 20 miles away!

Polar bear cubs are born without hair and are blind and deaf.

Cut out an article from the newspaper. Cut the article into four pieces. Give the pieces to a friend to see if he or she can put the article back together in the right order.

A polar bear starts its life in a den or ice _________ that its mother _______ into the snow. The den protects the mother and the cubs from _________, cold and predators. The den stays warm inside as heat from the mother bear warms the tight ___________ and the frozen walls trap the warm air.

A polar bear cub weighs only about one __________ when it is born and are about 12 to 14 inches long.

These little guys grow up to be BIG. A male polar bear can grow to be 1, 200 pounds. A female about 650 pounds. They start to get ________ at about eight weeks. They stay in the den drinking mama bear’s nutritious milk for about three to four ___________.

Young polar bears stay with their mothers until they are around 30 months old. By then, they have learned how to ____________ in the cold and find food on their own.

Movies and books sometimes show polar bears and penguins together. But they actually live on opposite ends of the earth. Polar bears only live in the Arctic and penguins live in the Antarctic.

This week’s word:

THERMAL

The adjective thermal means relating to or saving heat.

The thermal layer in Jane’s jacket helped her stay warm while skiing.

Try to use the word thermal in a sentence today when talking with your friends and family.

This little cub has taken some of the words out of this article. Can you nd where each one belongs? Have a parent check your work. Write

A8 Standards Link: Research: Use the newspaper to
information.
locate
guard hairs dense, short fur skin
the answer here:
B G B B O E U G V S N E E A Z R C T L U B B E R
Standards Link: Research: Use the newspaper to locate information.
© 2017 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 33, No. 4
News Article Mix-Up
ANSWER: Because they’d look kind of silly in Hawaiian shirts!
FOOTPADS THERMAL HOLLOW ARCTIC POLAR BEARS LAYER WHITE GUARD HAIRS DENSE TUFTS OILY PAWS O R E S I Y L R D E L A S G L A O A S A P U O E Y W P N M A W B W E A T E R W H A I R S O D E S I A A A Y O L H R T U F T S F S T C E L F E R S C I T C R A R L H P A B O T A M O S Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written directions.
REFLECTS
Polar
Polarbearskin isblack.
at least two
and two opinions about bears.
facts

In the KNOW

April 26

The Shingle SpringsCameron Park Chamber of Commerce hosts a networking luncheon with El Dorado County Surveyor Brian Frazier speaking, 11:30 a.m. at Los Pinos, 3420 Palmer Drive in Cameron Park. No RSVP required.

Folsom Lake College

Vocal & Choral Program presents Legends of Song, paying homage to some of the most influential songs and greatest artists of the 20th/21st century, at 7:30 p.m. at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 6086888 or visit HarrisCenter. net.

April 27

Placerville FamilySearch Center, 3275 Cedar Ravine Road in Placerville, hosts Researching the British Isles at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Where can you look to find records from England and other countries of the British Isles? What resources are there that will help you get started and move forward in finding those ancestors?

Class will discuss the basics and share ideas. For more information call (530) 621-1378.

The Shingle SpringsCameron Park Chamber of Commerce hosts a ribbon cutting, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Pack & Print, 3300 Green Valley Road in Cameron Park. No RSVP required.

Celebrate National Poetry

Month at the Cameron Park Library with readings by Rooja Mohassessy and Estela Victoria-Cordero, 5:30-6:45 p.m. El Dorado County Poet Laureate Lara Gularte will introduce the poets.

Ponderosa Stage Productions presents “The Bold, The Young, and the Murdered” at Ponderosa High School in Shingle Springs, April 27-29 and May 4-6. For more information visit pondodrama.com.

Sky Hopinka, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation/ Pechanga Band of Luiseco Indians, will give a talk about his video, photo and text work that centers around personal positions of Indigenous homeland and landscape, designs of language as containers of culture expressed through personal, documentary and nonfiction forms of media. The event takes place at 4:30 p.m. at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art in Davis.

April 28

Sherwood Demonstration Garden is open again every Friday and Saturday for open garden days, 9 a.m. to noon. Take a leisurely stroll through all 16 themed gardens. Docents are on-site to assist with any questions regarding Sherwood Demonstration Garden or your personal garden. May be closed for inclement weather or poor air quality. Check the website before visiting: ucanr.edu/sites/ EDC_Master_Gardeners/ Demonstration_Garden.

Starbright Entertainment presents Fleetwood Mask – A Fleetwood Mac Experience, 7:30 p.m. at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit HarrisCenter.net.

Little Hurricane performs 8-11 p.m. at The Green Room Social Club in

Fall off your seat at Stand Up for MORE fundraiser

Andrew Vonderschmitt

Mountain Democrat correspondent

The El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce and Mother Lode Rehabilitation join forces for a night of laughs, good food and community at the sixth annual Stand Up for MORE comedy show April 28.

Laurel Brent-Bumb, CEO of El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce, and Susie Davies, executive director of Mother Lode Rehabilitation Enterprises, said the partnership between the two organizations has been the best experience. The muchanticipated comedy night started in 2016 when the partnership was proposed as a project of Leadership El Dorado Class Nine.

The annual affair took one year off due to the pandemic but it hasn’t lost its stride, packing the house each year.

Returning for his sixth year is comedian and producer Scott Edwards, who owned a chain of comedy clubs, 1980-2001, including Laughs Unlimited in Old Sacramento.

“With all those connections I book the shows,” said Edwards. “But Susie is really the powerhouse behind it all; she is what makes it all happen and the reason I really enjoy doing this work for MORE.”

Edwards personally knows most of the comedians he books and makes sure they have clean acts and can fill the time, adding, “I work with professionals. I don’t work with amateurs.”

Steve Bruner and Edwards go way back. Bruner has been at the game for more than 30 years and said working at Edwards’ clubs helped him grow as a comic. He had been working onenight gigs living in San Francisco while holding down a day job. He participated in a comedy contest at Laughs Unlimited around 1990 where he got into the finals but doesn’t quite remember his final standing.

several acts.

“I built up my time to a half hour and within five or six years I was headlining,” he said.

Having saved up some money Bruner gave up his day job and proceeded to make comedy his full-time vocation. He relocated to the Los Angeles area and spent the next 30 years working in the comedy scene, touring the country, working cruises and other comedy endeavors.

“I did write for TV for a while,” he added.

Bruner recently returned to Northern California with his wife and travels to appearances from there. He has remained in contact with Edwards over the years and this is his second appearance at Stand Up for MORE.

“I always love gigs I can drive to,” he said. “Especially when they’re for a good reason. And this is one of the best reasons.

“What MORE does, to be a part of it, I just love being associated with events that do good,” he concluded.

SCoTT EDwArDS

“In fact, I still have a couple of friends from the finals. We argue over who got eighth place and who got seventh,” he recalled. “But what you won, besides the accolades, was a week of opening at one of his (Edwards’) clubs.” Getting to do comedy for six days in a row helped Bruner build his act and he went on to open at other clubs and emcee

Eddie Brill, an East Coast player, is relatively new to Edwards.

“We haven’t actually worked together, but I’m very familiar with his material and his reputation,” said Edwards. “This will be a real thrill, for me, to actually work with him.”

Brill has been in the business for nearly 40 years. He got his start in a comedy group in college. After graduation he got out of the laughs business but said he missed it so much, he opened his own club.

“I started a comedy club in The Village called The Paper Moon,” Brill shared. “It’s just been terrific since then.”

He has traveled the world doing comedy and went on to become the warm-up comic at Late Night with David Letterman. A post he held for an impressive 17 years. For 11 of those years, he also coordinated comic talent for the show.

Brill recently returned to doing stand-up and said he always loves to perform for a good cause. Having experienced many hardships at a young age, he explained he always noticed those people who helped.

“There were always wonderful people around us that helped us survive,” Brill said. “We vowed that when we had the chance we would do the same for others.

“And it feels great,” he added. “I’m excited about raising money

n See Stand Up, page B5

County super earns community service award

News release

Arts and Culture El Dorado recently announced that El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Ed Manansala will receive the 2023 Normadene Carpenter Award. The annual honor recognizes exceptional achievement and extraordinary contributions to the community. Proceeds from the event support the programs and services of Arts and Culture El Dorado.

Manansala is a collaborator, a passionate advocate and an innovator. He champions arts and cultural programs in El Dorado County schools, fully understanding the vital importance of creativity in the lives of young people.

“While it is an honor to be chosen to receive this year’s Normadene Carpenter Award, the honor must really go to all our county’s educational leaders and staff, who consistently provide high-quality instruction and support to the youth in our county,” noted Manansala.

“Our county is proud to be known for its value of arts education, which we recognize as vital to the development of the whole child, and ultimately the cultural health and development of our community.”

The Carpenter Award reception and award ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 22, in the Galleria at David Girard Vineyards. Friends and

supporters will gather for a cocktail reception to celebrate Mananasala and the work of the El Dorado County Office of Education. Girard, the honorary event

chair for the Carpenter Award, emphasized the importance of the event and the organization it supports. “Arts and Culture El Dorado is a highly respected non profit public benefit organization that annually presents the Carpenter Award to an outstanding honoree.

The prestigious award recognizes the individual’s demonstrated excellence in one or more of the many elements that contribute to a community’s artistic and cultural vitality.”

Proceeds from the event will benefit Arts and Culture El Dorado, which provides vital arts and cultural programs and services to El Dorado County. Arts and Culture El Dorado serves as a catalyst for good works. It’s the state-local partner to the California Arts Council and in that role provides targeted programs and services, a vibrant gallery exhibition series and initiatives that support and sustain the cultural life of the region. Founded in 1984 as El Dorado Arts Council, the organization offers programs for veterans and students, families and young people, artists and arts organizations, and residents and visitors to the region. Tax-deductible charitable donations and ticket purchases may be made at artsandcultureeldorado.org/ carpenter-award.

Mountain Democrat n mtdemocrat.com Monday, April 24, 2023 Section B News,
STEVE BruNEr EDDiE BriLL Courtesy photo
n See know, page B4
A celebration of Dr. Ed Manansala receiving the Normadene Carpenter Award will be held June 22.

Big of the Year helps Little have a clearer future

Jana Rossi

Staff writer

Big Sister Lalani Ratnayake immediately took notice when Little Sister Shalom, though capable of reading,

headed straight to the picture books during their trips to the library. Her persistence and determination to help the young girl yielded an answer as to why — Shalom’s eyes hurt after reading for a while and

she chose picture books to avoid the pain.

A trip to the optometrist revealed Shalom had a problem with the muscles around her eyes and needed vision therapy. Now, with this support

making Shalom’s future clearer and brighter, Lalani describes her Little as a very special girl who is “smart as a whip, always happy and upbeat.”

Lalani’s tireless efforts to nurture her Little earned the El Dorado Hills resident the title of 2022 Big Sister of the Year, awarded by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Sierra.

Lalani became involved in BBBS while living in Boise, Idaho. Her good friend was a Big Sister with the program there and encouraged Lalani to get involved. She began in the elementary school program, which meant that after a Little would graduate, she would be assigned a new one. In 2016, after her mom passed away, Lalani, who had moved to California by that time, decided to enter the regular mentor program and she was assigned Shalom, who was in second grade. The two have been together for six-and-ahalf years.

Lalani has watched her Little Sister grow up and said she loves to be a stable piece in the

now 13-year-old’s life. As a mom of two sons, Lalani said Shalom fills the space of a daughter. She said she loves to take her to the library, go out for pizza

and ice cream, walk around museums, go ice skating and sometimes they will stay home and bake.

Local eagle scouts make lasting garden improvements at schools

Jana Rossi

Staff writer

Looking to improve Lake Forest Elementary School’s garden space, in 2021 Gina Johnston, the school’s garden coordinator, applied for two grants through the El Dorado Community Foundation. The grants would help her purchase more expensive items such as greenhouses and hydroponic units.

After submitting a video outlining why Lake Forest would be a good candidate to receive the grants, the foundation asked if she would entertain a partnership and roll out her garden program throughout the Rescue Union School District. Project Green Community was born.

The work Project Green Community does is two-fold. In addition to teaching kids basic gardening and horticulture skills, the garden area itself has become a special place where kids spend their time. It has given many students a sanctuary of sorts, where everyone belongs.

Last year local Eagle Scout prospectives from Troop 645 approached Johnston, who now serves as Project Green’s executive board chairperson, to see where they could offer their skills to make marked improvements at several schools within the district, where the Scouts themselves had once attended — making the project even more personal.

Scout Elliot Porter decided to focus on good hygiene at Lake Forest. “My Eagle Scout projects goal was to provide a hand-washing station for the kids after they finished their

garden time,” he shared. “It felt great to know that I could provide a useful tool for the school, as well as reuse the recycled water to water the ground plants. Gina Johnston and Lake Forest Elementary were extremely gracious of the time and effort I put into reworking the garden area and making a convenient place for the kids to sanitize their hands before returning to class.”

Other Lake Forest improvements made by Scouts Owen Porter, Reed Datwyler and Austin Norris include repaired garden beds, the addition of an arbor and pathway to the garden and new fencing and gates.

“It’s a win-win as these projects make lasting and significant improvements to our gardens, saving us thousands of dollars and bringing value to our schools and communities — all while fulfilling their Eagle Scout requirements,” Lauren Shoda Oneto, communications chairperson on Project Green’s executive board told the Mountain Democrat.

Marina Village Middle School also benefited when Eagle Scouts Nicholas Gygax and Shyam Das pitched in. Nicholas added deer-proof fencing, water trough garden beds and made pathway repairs while Shyam repaired ground mosaics. Matthew Drahmann added split rail fencing, improved landscaping and expanded the parking area.

At Green Valley Elementary School Scouts Nick Wolf and Evan Ikemoto installed deer fencing and added plants, a shade structure and gravel containment.

Jackson Elementary School is next to receive some garden love.

B2 Monday, April 24, 2023 Mountain Democrat mtdemocrat.com prospecting O First Month of New Service! USE PROMO CODE: GZ59O AWARDED BY J.D. POWER 13 TIMES IN A ROW “#1 in Customer Service among Value MVNOs.” EXACT SAME PREMIUM COVERAGE As the Major Carriers for Up to Half the Cost © 2023 Consumer Cellular Inc. Terms and Conditions subject to change. New service activation on approved credit. Cellular service is not available in all areas and is subject to system limitations. Enjoy $25 o your first month! Customers who sign up before April 15, 2023 get up to $25 o their first invoice. This o er is for new and existing customers, and can be redeemed only at an account level, line levels excluded. This o er is good for $25 o the first invoice, and any remaining credit from o er is forfeited if not used during this period. If account becomes inactive for any reason prior to receiving the full amount, any remaining credits will be forfeited. Customer must use a printed promo code to redeem o er. This o er is not stackable with other promotions, see website or store associate for details. O er not redeemable for cash, has no cash value and is not transferable or refundable. All other products are trademarked by their respective manufacturers. Phones are limited to stock on hand. For J.D. Power 2022 Wireless Customer Care Mobile Virtual Network Operator Study award information, visit jdpower.com/awards CALL CONSUMER CELLULAR
photo
877-533-6139 Courtesy
Mathew Drahmann, Evan Ikemoto and Nicholas Gygax in front of Marina Village Middle School after adding
some necessary improvements.
BIG SIStEr of thE YEar LaLaNI ratNaYakE n See Big SiSter, page B5

Tennis player love-ing her nonprofit work

Oak Ridge High School freshman and tennis player

Rianna Dhillon has been playing the sport since she was 6 years old, picking up a racket when her father taught her the game. Her passion for tennis led her to volunteering at an organization called Second Serve, a youth-run nonprofit committed to bringing the sport of tennis to everyone interested in playing, no matter their economic status.

The vision of Second Serve, according to its website, “is to foster greater access, inclusion and diversity within the sport of tennis by giving everyone a chance to play.”

Those volunteering with the organization are able to accomplish this by collecting and distributing new and gently used tennis equipment such as rackets, clothing and shoes, to the underserved

communities around the world.

Rianna is Second Serve’s regional president for El Dorado Hills and has been on a mission to collect equipment for more than a year, holding local drives and talking to various tennis stores in order to raise awareness. Her goal is to get the word out about this amazing organization that she pours herself into daily.

“It feels really great to be able to help people who I have the same thing in common with,” Rianna shared.

A donation box has been set up at the Broadstone Sports Club in Folsom and will happily take new or gently used rackets, shoes, bags and clothing that will then be sent to schools and groups around the country and across the globe.

For more information about the organization visit the website at secondserve.org. For inquiries on making donations email secondserveedh@gmail.com.

No short circuits here!

The FRC 3189 Circuit Breakers Robotics Team had an awesome visit from Harrison Zea, representing Assemblyman Joe Patterson. Team members were honored and humbled to be recipients of personalized Certificates of Recognition from the Assemblyman, recognizing the team for its win at the FIRST Sac Regional Competition. The team designed, manufactured and built a robot to meet this year’s challenges put out by FIRST, an organization that inspires young people to become leaders and innovators in science and technology that “fosters well-rounded life capabilities that include self-confidence, communication and leadership.”

Wildlife group, Ducks Unlimited team up

Special to the Mountain Democrat

Ducks Unlimited’s mission is to conserve, restore, and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people and aligned with the goals of California Watchable Wildlife. Their new partnership will allow California

Watchable Wildlife to continue its mission of promoting efforts to get Californians outside and interacting with wildlife and nature on public and private lands across the state.

“DU is excited to partner with California

Watchable Wildlife to promote outdoor recreational opportunities on DU projects and public lands throughout California. This is a natural partnership as DU’s conservation work not only benefits waterfowl, shorebirds and other waterbirds, but also the public,” said Craig Garner, manager of Conservation Programs, Calif., Nev., Ariz. and Hawaii. “We have completed numerous conservation projects on California Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service properties that enhance or improve public recreation opportunities such as outdoor education, wildlife photography, bird watching and other activities that benefit public interaction with public lands.”

Ducks Unlimited and California Watchable Wildlife celebrate the state’s wildlife and diverse habitats by acknowledging and elevating the value of wildlife viewing to benefit individuals, families, communities and industries while fostering awareness and support for conservation and protection of wildlife and habitats.

“There’s a natural synergy between our two organizations,” said Barbara L. Steinberg of California Watchable Wildlife. “We’re really excited to work together to bring more Californians outdoors.”

Ducks Unlimited’s conservation programs have always had a strong biological foundation, built on current research and scientific knowledge. That science and research tradition continues today. DU and its partners also have conserved more than 808,046 acres of waterfowl habitat in California.

mtdemocrat.com Mountain Democrat Monday, April 24, 2023 B3 Deadline to reserve your ad space in The Of cial Fair Guide MAY 5, 2023 Contact Elizabeth Hansen 530-344-5028 ehansen@mtdemocrat.net PUBLISHING IN: Village Life June 7, 2023 GEORGETOWN Gazette June 8, 2023 Mountain Democrat June 9, 2023 Elder Options, Inc. Phone: (530) 626-6939 (800) 336-1709 Sacramento / El Dorado Hills / Folsom Phone: (916) 391-8083 South Lake Tahoe Phone: (530) 541-1812 Our personalized care management, home care, respite and assisted living services are designed to ensure a safe, happy and fulfilling “every day.” elderoptionsca.com “A Life Lived Fully Every Day” Elder Options, Inc. Since 1988 We ’ve Moved! $5.68 $7.84 5.500% 4.875% 5.68% 5.17% Maximum loan $650,000, primary or vacation residence. 20% minimum cash down payment on purchase. 25% equity required on refinance. Other loans available under different terms. Maximum loan $424,100.00, primary or vacation residence. 20% minimum cash down payment on purchase. 25% equity required on refinance. Other loans available under different terms. LOAN TERMS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE FIXED RATE LOANS Check the El Dorado Advantage: No Application Fee ✔ No Prepayment Penalty ✔ Local Processing and Servicing PLACERVILLE 4040 El Dorado Road • 530-622-1492 PLACERVILLE • (Downtown) 247 Main • 530-622-0833 W. PLACERVILLE Placerville Dr. & Ray Lawyer 530-626-3400 DIAMOND SPRINGS • 694 Pleasant Valley Road 530-626-5701 CAMERON PARK 4060 Cameron Park Drive • 530-677-1601 POLLOCK PINES • 6462 Pony Express Trail • 530-644-2363 EL DORADO HILLS 3963 Park Drive • 916-933-3002 GEORGETOWN • 6310 Hwy. 193 • 530-333-1101 PURCHASE • REFINANCE Mountain Democrat 3.1806” wide by 6” high Serving our local communities for over 60 years RATE APR 2.625 2.90 RATE APR 3.500 3.66 360 Monthly Payments of $4.49 per $1,000 Borrowed 180 Monthly Payments of $6.72 per $1,000 Borrowed 15 Year Term Fixed Rate Loan 30 Year Term Fixed Rate Loan www.eldoradosavingsbank.com Se Habla Espanol 800-874-9779 NMLSR ID 479256 Open tO the public! Hours: M-F 8:30-5pm Sat 9-1pm 4600 Missouri Flat Rd. Placerville • (530) 622-2640 Orchard & Vineyard SupplieS Water tanks 300-5,000 Gallon SizeS available! Weed Prevention is Fire Prevention Maintains strength for Years! super concentrate Makes over 200 Gallons Livestock & Deer Fencing! n ow i n s tock! Green Tree Stove PelletS Call for Pricing
Courtesy photo Rianna Dhillon poses with some of the equipment donated to Second Serve — a nonprofit that makes tennis accessible to those less fortunate. Courtesy photo

downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit tickets.clubgreenroom.com.

Live music at Red Hawk Resort + Casino continues with live music at the Stage Bar, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. See Mike Furlong Band (classic rock) April 28; and Maxx Cabello (blues/rock) April 29. Visit redhawkcasino.com for more details.

April 29

UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County hosts its ornamental plant sale, 8 a.m. to noon at the Sherwood Demonstration Garden, 6699 Campus Drive in Placerville. Check the inventory preview at mgeldorado.ucanr.edu a week to 10 days before the sale.

Join the Rise & Shine Community Day of Service, 8 a.m. to noon., and work with other fun-loving volunteers as they clean up, fix up and spruce up parks and community spaces. For more information visit placerville-riseandshine-2020.eventbrite.com.

The 18th annual CCAC Camino Clean Up Day takes place 8 a.m. to noon at 4621 Pony Express Trail in Camino. Items accepted include green waste, household trash and scrap metal. No hazardous materials or construction debris. Proof of Camino residence is required. For more information visit caminocac.com.

Don’t miss out on Placerville’s 36th annual Spring Fishing Derby, 9-11 a.m. at Lumsden Park, open to all kids in preschool

through eighth grade. This event, rain or shine, is sponsored by the city of Placerville Community Services Department, the El Dorado County Fish & Game Commission, the Placerville Kiwanis Club and the Placerville Lions Club. All participants should bring their own fishing equipment. For more information call (530) 642-5232.

Kids Helping Kids presents Rock Out Pediatric Cancer with Switchfoot, 7:30 p.m. at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit HarrisCenter.net.

Hear the best of Main Street Collective 8-11 p.m. at The Green Room Social Club in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit tickets.clubgreenroom.com.

Cordova Community Council presents the 33rd annual Kids Day, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hagan Community Park, 2197 Chase Drive in Rancho Cordova. Admission is free and the event features giveaways, animals, parent resources and more. For more information visit cordovacouncil.org.

Leonard Slatkin conducts the next Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera concert, 8 p.m. at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center in downtown Sacramento. This performance features the only complete symphonic work of Cesar Franck, his Symphony in D minor, plus Aaron Copland’s “Four Dances from Rodeo” and Cindy McTee’s “Circuits.” For tickets and more information visit sacphilopera.org.

April 30

The West Slope Foundation, volunteers in the California Governor’s Office, Pioneer Volunteer Firefighters Association, Pioneer Fire Protection District, Fair Play Community Hall Association and other resources host a free event, noon to 4 p.m., for the communities of Grizzly Flat, Somerset and Fair Play in the parking lot of Station 38 located at 7061 Mount Aukum Road. The event will introduce the Neighbor to Neighbor program, which will include educational workshops, training and field exercises on disaster preparedness, home hardening, go-bag workshops, fire-safe landscaping and other important information.

The Placerville Shakespeare Club presents Authors Day, featuring author presentations, question-and-answer period, book sales, book signings, door prizes and light refreshments. Doors open at noon with the program beginning at 1 p.m. at the clubhouse, 2940 Bedford Ave., Placerville. For tickets and more information call (916) 802-0186 or (602) 826-7317 or visit placerville-shakespeare.com.

RiverBells Sacramento, an exciting six-octave handbell ensemble, presents the Bells Ain’t Just for Christmas concert, 3 p.m. at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit HarrisCenter.net. Musician Ed Wilson will perform 5-7 p.m. at Mraz Brewing in El Dorado Hills.

Sheena Easton and Taylor Dayne headline Ladies Night 2023, 8 p.m. at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. For tickets and more information call (916) 608-6888 or visit HarrisCenter.net.

Now

The El Dorado Roses are searching for candidates to run for the 2023 El Dorado Rose. Candidates must be at least 60 years old, have lived in the county for 10 years and have many hours of volunteer service to her community. The El Dorado Rose dresses in period clothing from 1849-1910 and then becomes the official hostess of El Dorado County for one year. For more information call Carole Burnley at (530) 626-4949.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2680 in El Dorado County invites veterans of World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War as well as those seeing action in Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries during the war on terror plus those serving peace-keeping missions throughout the globe to become VFW members. Member benefits are plenty and there is no fee for the first year. For more information call (530) 499-2950.

The California State Fair Home Wine Competition is now open. This competition supports and promotes winemaking as a home craft and provides an impartial evaluation of wines. The entry deadline is April 25. For more information visit calexpostatefair.com/participate.

B4 Monday, April 24, 2023 Mountain Democrat mtdemocrat.com Place your ad with us and get results! Call (530) 344-5028. Bus Lic #011716 References available upon request • Painting • Drywall • Carpentry • Flooring • Decks • Fencing • Plumbing • Electrical • Pressure Washing • Stucco • Cabinets Contact Mike (530) 906-7919 Reasonable Rates HANDYMAN SERVICE Residential/Commercial Unlicensed Contractor HandyMan HandyMan Painting Painting GARY C. TANKO WELL DRILLING, INC. CSL # 282501 Pump sales & service 30 years experience in the area (530) 622-2591 Well Drilling Window Coverings Weed Control Landscape Maintenance Landscape Maintenance DaviD Santana (530) 306-8474 ProPerty Clearing Yard Clean-up • Maintenance Weedeating • Trimming Tree Pruning & Removal Free Estimates • Fully Insured Can now process mobile credit card payments. State Contr. Lic. 877808 Landscape Maintenance Hauling And Cleaning Hauling & Clean ups — All Areas — Large & Small jobs! Mobilehome Removal Experts! (530) 409-5455 (916) 806-9741 Clean, polite service 7 dayS: 8aM-9pM Roofing • Tile Repair • Wood shake to composition conversions • Seamless Gutters • Real Estate Roof Inspections & Certs • Mobile Home Composition • Modified Bitumen One-Ply System • All Types of Repair Work Celebrating 25 Years in business! Lic. 649751 Since 1992 New Roofs • Re-Roofs • Repairs (530) 676-3511 www.eliteroofing.com Senior Discount Elite Roofing Elite Roofing Tree Service Sprinklers Repair • Drip Systems Fence Repair • Clean Ups • & Hauling Bus. Lic. #053457 Insured Call today! (530) 558-0072 2014Rod.F@gmail.com Rodriguez Yard Maintenance Tree Removal Brush Clearing Tree Limbing 24 hour Emergency Services Free Estimates “We offer Grade-A quality service to our customers.” (530) 306-9613 Adam Rohrbough, Owner Operator Locally Owned • Pollock Pines Serving El Dorado County • Bus Lic 058736 CSLB 991861 Workers’ Comp Insured LTO A11207 DIAL-A-PRO ads are listings of local professionals in all trades. Call (530) 344-5028 to place your ad today! Premier Business Directory To advertise, call (530) 344-5028 (530) 647-1746 (530) 957-3322 (cell) JEFF IMBODEN CSL #840010 Commercial Residential Service Calls IMBODEN’S ELECTRIC Electrical Contractors Fire Services Construction CAMARA CONSTRUCTION GENERAL BUILDING CONTRACTORS Decks • Over Hangs • Arbors • Fences • New Construction Remodels, Painting, etc. • Full Design Services Available In-home inspection for new buyers. Don’t get cheated, make sure you’re getting what you’re paying for with an unbiased home inspection. John and Sarah Camara, Owners Placerville, California (530) 903-3045 www.placervilledeckbuilders.com Licensed, Bonded & Insured • Lic. #729819 Over 30 Years Experience “Speedy Service and Satisfaction, ALWAYS!” CC Residential • Commercial Interior • Exterior Specializing in repaints Steven M artinez Owner • Operator Bus. # (530) 919-7612 (916) 530-7016 americaneaglepainting4@gmail.com Lic# 960086 Spring Specials American Eagle Painting Deck restorations, concrete staining & pressure washing discount exteriors painting Residential commeRcial exteRioR specialists ‘The Best for Less’ (530) 344-1267 • (916) 988-5903 Jim crook Free estimates csL#496-984 Martin Harris 2000 Gallon Water Tender 530 277 9580 Cal Fire WC & rigged Phos Chek Retardant Brush Master Water Cannon. Construction site compaction & dust control Wildland Fire Services General Contractor Lic # B-710428 martinharris.us Martin Harris 2000 Gallon Water Tender 530 277 9580 Cal Fire WC & rigged Phos Chek Retardant Brush Master Cannon Construction site compaction & dust control support. General Contractor Lic# B-710428 Martin Harris 2000 Gallon Water Tender 530 277 9580 Cal Fire WC & rigged Phos Chek Retardant Brush Master Cannon Construction site compaction & dust control support. General Contractor Lic# B-710428 Martin Harris 2000 Gallon Water Tender 530 277 9580 Cal Fire WC & rigged Phos Chek Retardant Brush Master Cannon Construction site compaction & dust control support. General Contractor Lic# B-710428 Martin Harris 2000 Gallon Water Tender 530 277 9580 Martin Harris 2000 Gallon Water Tender 530 277 9580 Cal Fire WC & rigged Phos Chek Retardant Brush Master Cannon Construction site compaction & dust control support. General Contractor Lic# B-710428 Martin Harris 2000 Gallon Water Tender 530 277 9580 Cal Fire WC & rigged Phos Chek Retardant Brush Master Cannon Construction site compaction & dust control support. General Contractor Lic# B-710428 Martin Harris 2000 Gallon Water Tender 530 277 9580 Cal Fire WC & rigged Phos Chek Retardant Brush Master Cannon Construction site compaction & dust control support. General Contractor Lic# B-710428 Martin Harris 2000 Gallon Water Tender 530 277 9580 Cal Fire WC & rigged Phos Chek Retardant Martin Harris 2000 Gallon Water Tender 530 277 9580 Cal Fire WC & rigged Phos Chek Retardant RICH DOWNING CFO/Customer Relationship Builder 916.906.2033 windowscreensolutions.com 330 Green Valley Road El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 Look us up on Nextdoor App! EXPERIENCE OUR “WOW” FACTOR SCREENS: Sun Screens Pollen Screens Insect Screens Pet Tuff Screens Pass Thru Screens Sliding Screen Door Retractable Screens Motorized Screens SERVICES: Annual Window Inspection Window Washing Gutter Cleaning Hauling Junk Sliding Glass Door Repair Hard Water Stain Removed Home Remodeling And More! BLINDS & SHUTTERS: Privacy Sheers Honeycomb Shades Modern Roman Shades Soft Shades Cellular Roller Shades Woven Woods Vertical Blinds Shutters Professional, Reasonable, Insured (530) 620-5725 www.eldoradoweedcontrol.com CA quali ed applicator Lic# 139619 * Defensible Space * Roadsides * * Starthistle * SPRAY NOW! Business Lic. #042987 Email: rafaeltalavera1978@gmail.com Over 20 Years of Experience Lawn Care/Maintenance, Sprinklers, Irrigation Systems, Trenching, Weedeating, Trimming, Valve Installation, Retaining Walls, Drainage, Tree Service One Time Cleanups, Weekly, Biweekly, Yard Improvement Projects Rafael Talavera Phone: (530) 391-5941 Talavera Lawn Care & Landscaping
Know Continued from B1 Licensed Insured 916-370-0651 Maggie’s House Cleaning Available for weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, & one time cleaning. Reliable, honest, and has over 20 years of experience. margaritalherrera@icloud.com

Big Sister Continued from B2

Shalom loves drama and music and Lalani takes her to high school productions of musicals; they recently saw “Beauty and the Beast.” She also tries to meet her for lunch at her school, although now that Lalani has two grandchildren who she babysits, she doesn’t have the same amount of free time as she once did.

Lalani encourages others to volunteer for this special and amazing program. “It is so rewarding,” Lalani told The Mountain Democrat. “It is a privilege to be able to change someone’s future and support them to become a better person.”

BBBSNS named Je Ashburn the 2022 Big Brother of the Year. He has volunteered with the mentor program since 2019. Due to the sensitive nature of his Little’s case, Ashburn was unable to be interviewed.

In a press release, BBBSNS o cials note, “True committed friendship

Stand

up

with what I do.”

are words that would describe the nature of his relationship with Little Brother Jayce, who entered BBBSNS’ program needing the support and encouragement of other adults around him. Je ’s honest, witty and accepting personality has helped Jayce feel comfortable from the start of their first meeting. Je has continually invested in Jayce by taking him to youth group activities and introducing him to healthy peer environments. He has also insistently advocated for Jayce on numerous occasions, which has helped Jayce start to rebuild his trust in other adult relationships.”

BBBSNS serves the youth of El Dorado, Placer and Nevada counties. Currently there is a waitlist of 45 kids who need a mentor match. Those interested in becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister should visit bbbs.org or contact Heather at (530) 626-1222.

Continued from B1

MORE is a private nonprofit organization committed to improving the quality of life and opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities, concentrating e orts on four broad fields for maximum independence: employment, selfadvocacy, health, safety.

“We hope that this can be an example to other nonprofits,” said Davies about the partnership that makes this event a possibility. “Working together, growing together and making a commitment to do the best we can, while having fun, is the best way to raise awareness and gain financial support from the people

in our community.”

Stand Up for MORE takes place at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in

A CENTURY OF GOOD LIVING!

Esther “Fritz” Kornmeyer’s family recently celebrates her 100th birthday at her home in Sturgis, S.D. “Fritz” along with her husband Roy Kornmeyer lived for more than 15 years in the Pleasant Valley area along with sons, Roy and Dave and their daughter Elizabeth, who was born at the old Placerville hospital on Coloma Street. “Fritz” worked at Ben Franklin on Main Street for Bud Garlic in the late 1950s and early ‘60s.

Esther was born April 12, 1923, in Bunker Hill, Kan., the youngest of nine children. She married Roy Kornmeyer Jr. on Dec. 3, 1941. Her three children Roy III, David and “Liz,” along with other family and friends, are blessed in the continued good health of their mother and enjoyed this very special celebration.

Esther would appreciate your warm birthday wishes. They may be sent to her at Heritage Acres, 2340 East Ave.. C-26, Sturgis, S.D. 57785.

The Public Square

Placerville Friday, April 28. Doors open at 5 pm. For more information and tickets visit morerehab.org.

The Mountain Democrat and Village Life seek a general assignment reporter. Assignments will range from news coverage to features. Must have interviewing skills and photography experience and be able to meet deadlines. Knowledge of AP Style and Adobe Photoshop is a plus. Some evening and weekend work is required. Email résumé, writing and photography samples to Krysten Kellum at kkellum@mtdemocrat.net.

Public Notices 

Cafeteria Assistant

If you enjoy the beautiful outdoors and working with children, we currently have an amazing opportunity as a Cafeteria Assistant at our Sly Park Conservation and Environmental Education Center near Pollock Pines.

Starting Hourly Rate: $17.23

Click here to apply today: http://www.edjo.in/1746010

Maintenance Custodian

If you have experience performing custodial and general maintenance services and enjoy the beautiful outdoors, we currently have an amazing opportunity as a Maintenance Custodian at our Sly Park Conservation and Environmental Education Center near Pollock Pines.

Starting Hourly Rate: $20.47

Click here to apply today: http://www.edjo.in/1745652

For more information, contact Sacramento County Office of Education Personnel Dept. 916-228-2332

n sudoku solutions

Solution to Puzzle 1 Solution to Puzzle 2

warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association.

NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. !AVISO! Lo han demandado. Si no responde dentro de 30 dias, la corte puede decidir en su contra sin eschuchar su version. Lea la informacion a continuacion. Tiene 30 DIAS DE CALENDARIO después de que Ie entreguen esta citación y papeles legales para presentar

mtdemocrat.com Mountain Democrat Monday, April 24, 2023 B5 wanna sell? 622-1255 Employment PLACERVILLE-$1.00 a square foot, includes utilities, 200sf –720sf each, office, storage, light industrial? 4600 Missouri Flat Rd, (530) 622-2640 ASSEMBLY WORKERS $200 SIGN ON BONUS AFTER 90 DAYS Apply at5480 Merchant Circle, Placerville, CA 95667
needed for the Placerville Biergarten (OPENING SOON) all positions are open, please send resume via email to samnaser@aol.com or call Sam @ 415-601-5080.
Help
A local marketplace to find what you are looking for…To post your message, call us at 530-622-1255, Monday - Thursday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE NO. FB2023-0281 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: JR & ASSOCIATES located at 2660 Patterson Drive, Placerville, CA 95667 Registered owner(s): John R Hamner, 2660 Patterson Drive, Placerville, CA 95667 This business is conducted by an Individual The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: N/A Signature of Registrant: /s/ John R. Hamner JOHN R. HAMNER I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).) This statement filed with the county clerk of El Dorado County on 03/21/2023. NOTICE-IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (see section 14411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions Code) 4/3, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24 11590 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FIlE NO. FB2023-0316 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HEATHCARE & MORE, located at 3940 Freedom Rd, Placerville, CA 95667/Mailing Address: PO Box 1923, Diamond Springs, CA 95619 Registered owner(s): Myra L Moore, 3940 Freedom Rd, Placerville, CA 95667 This business is conducted by an Individual The registrant commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on: Not Applicable Signature of Registrant: /s/ Myra L Moore MYRA L MOORE I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. (A registrant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to Section 17913 of the Business and Professions Code that the registrant knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).) This statement filed with the county clerk of El Dorado County on 03/29/2023. NOTICE-IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES AT THE END OF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. THE FILING OF THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT OF ITSELF AUTHORIZE THE USE IN THIS STATE OF A FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME IN VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER UNDER FEDERAL, STATE, OR COMMON LAW (see section 14411 ET SEQ., Business and Professions Code) 4/3, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24 11591 FIRST AMENDED SUMMONS (CITACION JUDICIAL) CASE NO. (NUMERO DEL CASO) 22CV0103 NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: (AVISO AL DEMANDADO): DONNA EOFF; JOHNNY WILSON and GAVIN WILSON, Co-Trustees of THE LU ELLA BETTY WILSON 2005 REVOCABLE TRUST; DEAN DRAGO, Trustee of the Re-Stated DEAN M. DRAGO REVOCABLE TRUST; All Persons Unknown, Claiming any Legal or Equitable Right, Title, Estate, Lien or Interest in the Property Described in the Complaint Adverse to Plaintiff’sTitle or any Cloud on Plaintiff Title Thereto; and DOES 1 TO 20, inclusive, YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PlANTIFF; (LO ESTÁ DEMANDADO EL DEMANDANTE) LAWRENCE T. GUNN and THERESA A. GUNN NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further
una respuesta por escrito en esta corte y hacer que se entregue una copia al demandante. Una carta
• E-mail your public notice to legals@mtdemocrat.net • Be sure to include your name and phone number legal notice continued on the next page Deadline to reserve your ad space in The Official Fair Guide MAY 5, 2023 Contact Elizabeth Hansen 530-344-5028 ehansen@mtdemocrat.net PUBLISHING IN: Village Life June 7, 2023 GeorGetown Gazette June 8, 2023 Mountain Democrat June 9, 2023
RepoRteR wanted
mtdemocrat.com mtdemocrat.com Your source for news, photos, community discussion, and more. For a subscription call (530) 622-1255.

Family Features

A FamilyHeart-HealthyMeal

making small changes to focus on your health, like following a healthy eating plan, can make a big difference in protecting your heart.

Developed by the National Heart, lung, and Blood institute, Dietary approaches to stop Hypertension (DasH) is a flexible and balanced eating plan that helps create a heart-healthy eating style for life. it requires no special foods, and instead provides daily and weekly nutritional goals to help lower two major risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure and high lDl (bad) cholesterol.

as an added bonus, sharing DasH-friendly meals with your loved ones can help take the guesswork out of putting nutritious dinners on your family’s table. For example, this easy and delicious turkey and Beef meatballs with WholeWheat spaghetti recipe is one the entire family can help prepare.

in addition to a following a healthy eating plan, other self-care habits like taking time daily to destress, being more physically active and getting enough quality sleep can all benefit your heart. it’s also important to know what your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels are and what a healthy weight is for you.

learn more about the DasH eating plan and find recipes at nhlbi.nih. gov/DasH. Family Features

Turkey and Beef Meatballs with Whole-Wheat Spaghetti

Beef Meatballs:

Skewers

recipe courtesy of the National Heart, lung, and Blood institute

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

servings: 4

3 quarts water

8 ounces dry whole-wheat spaghetti

2 cups chunky tomato sauce

4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon fresh basil, rinsed, dried and chopped

Turkey Meatballs:

6 ounces 99% lean ground turkey

1/4 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons fat-free evaporated milk

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tablespoon fresh chives, rinsed, dried and chopped

1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley, rinsed, dried and chopped

6 ounces 93% lean ground beef

1/4 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons fat-free evaporated milk

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tablespoon fresh chives, rinsed, dried and chopped

1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley, rinsed, dried and chopped

Preheat oven to 400 F. in 4-quart saucepan over high heat, bring water to boil. add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

to make turkey meatballs: in bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, evaporated milk, Parmesan cheese, chives and parsley; mix well. Measure 1 1/2 tablespoons turkey mixture and roll into ball using hands. Place meatball on nonstick baking sheet. repeat until eight turkey meatballs are made.

Herb Biscuits

to make beef meatballs: in separate bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, evaporated milk, Parmesan cheese, chives and parsley; mix well. Measure 1 1/2 tablespoons beef mixture and roll into ball using hands. Place meatball on nonstick baking sheet. repeat until eight beef meatballs are made.

Bake meatballs 10 minutes until minimum internal temperature of 165 F is reached. Warm sauce, if necessary.

to serve: serve four meatballs with 3/4 cup pasta, 1/2 cup sauce, 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese and 1 pinch basil per portion. lay pierogies on same tray or basket. make sure not to overlap. lightly brush each side with olive oil. Cook about 12 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Flip halfway through cooking.

Herb Biscuits

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 sp sugar

1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp dried minced onion

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp garlic powder

3/4 cup cottage cheese

3 tbs butter

1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450°F. line baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil.

In large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, italian seasoning, onion, salt and garlic powder. add in cottage cheese and butter and mix until crumbly. Add milk. stir until combined.

Drop large dollops of batter onto prepared baking sheet. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. serve warm with some butter or your favorite biscuit topping.

recipe adapted by milk means more.

biscuits are crispy-on-the-outside and moist and tender on the inside. slap on some butter and these warm and tasty biscuits will melt in your mouth. For

more mouthwatering recipe ideas, go to www.culinary.net.

A8 Monday, April 24, 2023 Mountain Democrat mtdemocrat.com food
Do you know what the secret ingredient for these biscuits are? Cottage cheese! these
Orange Shrimp Quinoa Bowls Margherita Pizza Pierogy

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